# Bands that maybe SHOULD have been one-hit wonders **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 8, 2018, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302 "2018-08-08T21:22:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/21 "2018-08-19T14:05:34Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > After A-Ha hit it big on their debut album with _Take On Me_ they went on to make a total of 10 studio albums. I guess they had a top 5 hit in the UK back in 2009 but nothing I ever heard. Crying in the Rain and The Sun Always Shines on TV are both good songs. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/22 "2018-08-19T14:06:41Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > I will nominate [Alanis Morissette](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alanis_Morissette_discography). “You Oughta Know” is great, with vitriol I hadn’t heard before. Everything else is either mediocre or stupid (“Ironic”). Totally disagree. Hands Clean is a great song. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/23 "2018-08-19T14:16:10Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > Crying in the Rain and The Sun Always Shines on TV are both good songs. [_Hunting High and Low_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6VaeFCxta8) ! ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/24 "2018-08-19T23:17:32Z")
I love this idea for a thread! Which is why I sat here staring off into space trying to think of a good example, because I couldn’t think of one off the top of my head but I wanted to keep this thread alive. My pick is Chris Brown, and I hope he counts since he’s a singer and not a “band.” I think his song “With You” is great, and every so often I used to listen to samples of his songs on iTunes to see if I could find another song of his that had the same sort of vibe, but none did. All the rest were your more standard hip hop, which I’m not so into. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/25 "2018-08-19T23:24:27Z")
The Killers. After “Somebody Told Me”, they produced garbage, imo. But they kept on keeping on for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/26 "2018-08-20T14:00:25Z")
Looking Glass. Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) is a fantastic song. They tried, but they never reached much more than that. ---
**Author:** ![MacDuff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macduff/32/482_2.png) [@MacDuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDuff)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/27 "2018-08-21T03:22:18Z")
The Foo Fighters. Everlong is their only good song. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/28 "2018-08-21T03:24:39Z")
> [@MacDuff](#): > > The Foo Fighters. Everlong is their only good song. Wow. I would be willing to fight a duel over that one. They have many, many great songs. Everlong, Walk, Wheels, Next Year, lot of them. ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/29 "2018-08-21T05:06:16Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > The Killers. After “Somebody Told Me”, they produced garbage, imo. But they kept on keeping on for a while. I’d say the first four songs on their debut LP (‘Jenny was a Friend of Mine’, ‘Mr. Brightside’, ‘Smile Like You Mean It’, & ‘Somebody Told Me’) are all catchy and entertaining. [The dynamic range compression on the CD is unbearably loud, though. So it’s hard to get through more than a few songs at a time.] Starting with their second CD, they lost me completely. ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/30 "2018-08-21T05:07:17Z")
> [@MacDuff](#): > > The Foo Fighters. Everlong is their only good song. Try “My Hero”. The rest of their output leaves me cold. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/31 "2018-08-21T05:41:30Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Gotta disagree here. “Ventura Highway,” “Horse With No Name,” “Tin Man,” “Don’t Cross the River,” “Sandman,” hell, even “Muskrat Love,” are all good songs. The posters bickering over the Foo Fighters, they have a legitimate argument going on. But this. This is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/32 "2018-08-21T12:37:04Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > Wow. I would be willing to fight a duel over that one. They have many, many great songs. Everlong, Walk, Wheels, Next Year, lot of them. I don’t like the Foo Fighters music, but I have to admit, they do have a lot of well-written songs. “Everlong” is their best, but I also enjoy “Best of You,” and “Monkey Wrench” (probably from playing it over and over on Guitar Hero or Rock Band or whatever game it was on.) ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/33 "2018-08-21T13:03:38Z")
> [@LLCoolL](#): > > Thanks for bringing this to my attention. > > But it doesn’t improve the song. I stand by my prior assertion that Bryan Adams stinks, except for “Run to You”. I clicked on the thread to say “Bryan Adams — _Cuts Like a Knife_”. I’m tempted to add “John Cougarcamp — _I Need a Lover (Who Won’t Drive Me Crazy)_”, but it wouldn’t really be true. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/34 "2018-08-21T14:26:44Z")
I dunno why but I really loathe **Kings of Leon**. Their song “Sex on Fire” is terrible and they followed it up with an equally terrible “Use Somebody” It’s been 10 years and I still hear them on the radio all the fucking time. And people are all pumped about their shows, and “ooooh, Kings of Leon are making a new album!” Fuck, stop. You’re terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/35 "2018-08-21T15:34:39Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > I love this idea for a thread! Which is why I sat here staring off into space trying to think of a good example, because I couldn’t think of one off the top of my head but I wanted to keep this thread alive. My pick is Chris Brown, and I hope he counts since he’s a singer and not a “band.” I think his song “With You” is great, and every so often I used to listen to samples of his songs on iTunes to see if I could find another song of his that had the same sort of vibe, but none did. All the rest were your more standard hip hop, which I’m not so into. Mrs. Cups and I were talking about him just this past weekend. He made plenty of good songs and catchy hooks, but he was blackballed for beating up Rihanna and never recovered. Not that he should. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > The Killers. After “Somebody Told Me”, they produced garbage, imo. But they kept on keeping on for a while. > [@LLCoolL](#): > > I’d say the first four songs on their debut LP (‘Jenny was a Friend of Mine’, ‘Mr. Brightside’, ‘Smile Like You Mean It’, & ‘Somebody Told Me’) are all catchy and entertaining. [The dynamic range compression on the CD is unbearably loud, though. So it’s hard to get through more than a few songs at a time.] Starting with their second CD, they lost me completely. 100% agree on this. The Killers came in town recently and my first thought was “I’d see them in a heartbeat if they only played songs from their album…the rest I could do without”. We ended up not seeing them. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/36 "2018-08-21T15:46:27Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Looking Glass. Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) is a fantastic song. They tried, but they never reached much more than that. They WERE a one-hit wonder, so your wish has been granted! (They had one other song reach #33 on the Billboard Hot 100, but I don’t really consider #33 to be a hit.) ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/37 "2018-08-21T23:12:35Z")
> [@MacDuff](#): > > The Foo Fighters. Everlong is their only good song. This is not a correct answer. It may be the worst answer so far ---
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/38 "2018-08-23T14:33:18Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > This is not a correct answer. > > It may be the worst answer so far The only one I strongly disagree with. I think Everlong is their best song, even 21 years later. But they have so many great tunes. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/39 "2018-08-23T23:08:10Z")
Nm ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302/40 "2018-08-24T11:09:05Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > In 1994, Collective Soul went to #1 with their debut single _[Shine.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m0bI82Rz_k)_ While some derided it as “Bubblegum Grunge,” I quite liked it. It was different, catchy, and had a sense of fun that is rare in the genre. > > They had a few more chart-toppers after _Shine_, including _[December](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utYjsmDzMi0)_ and _[The World I Know.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7TLTjqUyog)_ While not terrible songs, these always struck me as comparatively uninteresting and derivative. This is solely my opinion, of course, and I don’t begrudge them their success. But If I had never heard anything else from Collective Soul after their first hit, I’d be perfectly fine with that. > \*\* > Are there any bands or artists you feel this way about?\*\* Yes, but not Collective Soul. I love every single thing they’ve put and consider them easily the best band of the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Saw them in concert a few times and they were some of the best shows I’d ever seen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-maybe-should-have-been-one-hit-wonders/819302.md?page=3)